1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetoresistive utilizing a magnetoresistive film such as a tunnel-junction film, a spin valve film, or the like. In particular, the invention relates to a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) structure magnetoresistive element allowing a sensing current to flow through a magnetoresistive film, overlaid on a datum plane, in a direction perpendicular to the datum plane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A magnetoresistive film such as a spin valve film is well known. The spin valve film is layered on a predetermined datum plane. The magnetoresistive film is interposed between upper and lower electrodes in a CPP structure magnetoresistive element. A sensing current is allowed to flow between the upper and lower electrodes in the direction perpendicular to the datum plane.
The CPP structure magnetoresistive element is usually mounted on a head slider including a medium-opposed surface opposed to a magnetic recording medium, for example. The magnetoresistive film extends along an imaginary plane perpendicularly intersecting the medium-opposed surface in the head slider. When a magnetic field is applied to the magnetoresistive film from the magnetic recording medium, the magnetization rotates in the magnetoresistive film.
If the recording density will further be improved in the magnetic recording medium, the magnetic field from the magnetic recording medium is expected to get reduced. A magnetic field of a smaller intensity reduces the rotation of the magnetization in the magnetoresistive film at a position remoter from the medium-opposed surface. A reduced amount of the rotation in this manner induces a less sensitivity of the magnetoresistive element.